Sultanpur Lodhi, September 10
A groom had to return empty-handed from a marriage palace here as the bride’s parents realised just in the nick of time that their son-in-law-to-be was a drug-addict.

According to information, the groom Tejinder Singh of Doda Wazir village had come to the Safri marriage palace, to marry the daughter of Arjun Singh of Swal village falling under Sultanpur Lodhi police station, after consuming smack.

The parents and relatives of the bride were exasperated when the groom misbehaved with some girls of the bride’s side and broke the scissors given to him for the ribbon-cutting ceremony after ‘milni’.

The relatives of the bride lost their temper and started thrashing him with shoes and sandals.

According to sources, the groom himself admitted that he was a drug-addict.

At this, the bride’s relatives informed the police about the entire incident.

A police control room (PCR) team and an ASI, Sarabjeet Singh, from Sultanpur Lodhi police station reached the spot, police sources confirmed while talking to The Tribune. However, the police did not take any action against the groom and his family as both the parties reached at a compromise after intervention of some prominent citizens of the area.

According to the compromise, the groom’s family paid Rs 2.25 lakh cash as compensation to the bride’s family. The former also returned several household items including gold jewellery given by the latter’s family during the shagun ceremony earlier.

Jalandhar, September 10
This may sound filmy, but it’s real. A gang of goons is active in the city, collecting hafta (extortion money) from roadside vendors. It is learnt that these armed gangsters have also roped in some locals in their operations. And all this is happening right under the cops’ nose.

The terror of the gang has virtually forced the roadside vendors and other shopkeepers to seek police protection.

Denying the role of professional goons in the trade, the district police claimed that certain unemployed drug-addicts were collecting money from roadside vendors in certain parts of the city. Facing victimisation by certain members of the gang, some residents of Buta Mandi had complained to the district police chief against the gang in August.

Taking serious note of the complaints of the victims, the district police had registered a case of extortion under sections 384 of the IPC against five persons. The complainants had alleged that the goons take money (Rs 20 to Rs 200 daily) from them at gunpoint, also threatening them with daggers and knives.

After laying a trap in the area, the police has arrested four members, Tarun, Desh Raj, Kairon and Sonu, of the gang from Buta Mandi. Another suspect in the case has absconded.

Deputy superintendent of police Rajeshwar Singh Sidhu said the police had launched a hunt to nab the absconding member of the gang.

Kapurthala, September 10
The district police booked a Tarn Taran-based couple on the charge of cheating a girl of Kapurthala village in the name of sending her to the USA.

According to the information, Mohinder Singh of Kothe Chetra Singh village submitted a complaint to SSP Rakesh Agarwal in which he had alleged that Jagir Singh, his wife Amar Kaur and their son Harvinder Singh of Thatha Mehta village in Tarn Taran district had taken Rs 19 lakh from him in 2006 in the name of sending his daughter Amanpreet Kaur to the USA on work permit.

The complainant further alleged in his complaint that Jagir Singh called Amanpreet Kaur in Delhi and asked her to go to Thailand and told her that she would get USA visa from there but she refused to do so.

Following which, Mohinder Singh asked them to return their money but to no avail. However, they handed over cheques for Rs 19 lakh which later were bounced, the complainant added.

The SSP marked the complaint to DSP Sukhdev Singh Chhina who found the allegations true during his inquiry. An FIR under section 420 of the IPC was registered against Jagir Singh, his wife Amar Kaur and their son Harvinder Singh. 

Jalandhar, September 10
The second phase of Army recruitment for all districts of the state would be held from September 28 to October 5 at district sainik welfare office (DSWO) here. The institute would organise a training camp from September 15 on wards.

Director DSWO Lieut-Col Manmohan Singh said the first phase of the recruitment drive would cover Jalandhar, Nawashahr, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur. The recruitment for other districts, including Ferozepur, Rajpura (Patiala), Moga and Khasa (Amritsar) would be held in October, November and December. The medical examination of the selected candidates would be carried out on September 16. Interested candidates should bring their educational certificates with them.

Amritsar, September 10
An Engineer Squadron was raised at New Amritsar Military Station, Khasa, here on Tuesday. Lieut-Gen Noble Thamburaj, General Officer Commanding -in- Chief, Southern Command and Colonel Commandant of " The Bombay Sappers" along with Lieut-Gen VS Tonk, General Officer Commanding, Vajra Corps, were present to celebrate the occasion.

A ceremonial mounted parade was presented by the newly-raised squadron in the honour of Lieut Gen Noble Thamburaj, who has been instrumental in raising the squadron from within the existing resources of “The Bombay Sappers". He hoisted the Engineer Flag during the parade and exhorted all ranks to exhibit extraordinary determination and commitment to achieve high standards of operational readiness and excellence in multi-faceted activities of the formation, conforming to the hallowed words of `Sarvatra'.

The parade was also attended by Anita Thamburaj, president AWWA, Southern Command, Maj-Gen PS Paul, General Officer Commanding, Panther Division, Commandant BEG & Centre Kirkee and a large number of Bombay Sappers veterans.

Hoshiarpur, September 10
The president, Punjab Christian Front, Lawrance Chaudhary, condemned the activists of the Vishav Hindu Parishad (VHP) for allegedly compelling Christians staying in relief camps at Kandhamal, Orrisa, to adopt Hindu religion.

In a press note here today, Lawrance Chaudhary criticised the Orissa government for remaining a silent spectator and not checking the activists of the VHP who were openly violating article 19 and 25 of the Indian Constitution. More than 200 Christians and priests were hiding in forests to save their lives from the rioters.

He said the brutality being faced by Christians for the last 18 days was a shamefull act of the VHP, which should widely be condemned by all sections of the society. He urged the union government as well as the state government of Orissa to strictly deal with the rioters and take affective steps to save the lives of Christians so that their shaken faith could be restored in the government, failing which the entire Christian community of the country would launch a countrywide agitation.

Nawanshahr, September 10
“Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has not only committed gross irregularities by exempting 32.10 acres of land from acquisition by the Amritsar Improvement Trust despite objections raised by senior bureaucrats as well as the then chairperson of the trust but has also tampered with the record of the state legislature for his personal interest.”

This was stated by public relations minister Bikram Singh Majithia while talking to mediapersons here today. Majithia visited the town to install zila parishad chairman Darshan Lal Mangupur and vice-chairperson Davinder Pal Kaur.

“The issue of such corruption as well as tampering with the record of the legislature, committed by none other than a person occupying the seat of Chief Minister, is quite a serious one,” said Majithia while urging the political leaders to rise above their party affiliations to oppose the former CM and to restore the sanctity of the legislature.

Majithia, while categorically denying the statement of Capt Amarinder Singh that he had followed the policy of the Badal government while exempting the land, said the former CM had done so not in the interest of the owners but to benefit private builders.

Ridiculing the allegations of political vendetta levelled against the SAD-BJP government, the public relations minister said it was not the SAD-BJP government which levelled these allegations against the former CM but Congress legislator Bir Devinder Singh did so in the assembly during the Congress regime. Even the witnesses against Capt Amarinder Singh before the Vidhan Sabha’s Privilege Committee were recorded by Congress leaders.

Among others, chief parliamentary secretary Chaudhary Nand Lal, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, MLAs Jatinder Singh Kariha, Chaudhary Mohan Lal, BJP MP from Hoshiarpur Avinash Rai Khanna also addressed the gathering.

Nawanshahr, September 10
“Be progressive, say no to intoxicants and stay connected with the Punjabi culture,” is the message to the farmers at the Kisan Mela organised by the Punjab Agricultural University at Regional Research Station for Kandi Area (RRSKA) at Bullowal Saunkhari in the district on Wednesday.

Chief parliamentary secretary Chaudhary Nand Lal lamented in his inaugural address that though the Kandi area comprised nearly one-tenth of the area of the state, it had not been given due focus. Highlighting the constraints of agriculture in the Kandi region, he stressed the need to promote allied agricultural activities and horticulture-based occupations to help farmers generate more income. He exhorted the farmers to follow the recommendations of the PAU to make agriculture a lucrative venture.

On the occasion, Dr N.S. Malhi, director, extention education, PAU, said the Kandi area had a blessing of nature in terms of mild climate and natural landscape.

The rain-fed agriculture and the shrinking water table were the serious problems being faced by the Kandi farmers. The inter-disciplinary scientists had been focusing on development of technologies for the crops suitable to the area.

“The prevailing agro-climatic conditions permit growing of fruits like mango, hill-lemon, citrus, guava, ber, amla, etc.,” said Malhi while exhorting the farmers to learn to market their farm produce to earn more. Besides, cultivation of crops like taramira, ground nut flower and basmati could be useful in the area. — OC